Chapter Twenty-Three: Fire Cannot Melt
Disclaimer: I still don't own Prince of Tennis… despite all of my begging, pleading, kicking and screaming. XD
Author's Note: Here's chapter twenty-three! Remember, the complete Author's Note for this fic is posted in chapter one. But here are the warnings, summarized for your convenience: May contain spoilers/ shonen-ai/ not-shonen-ai/ please review/ flamers will be sucked into the black hole that is "Tezuka Zone." Lol.
Here it is! Chapter twenty-three! Whew... -wipes forehead- We're nearing the end, aren't we? This chapter is, again, for all you faithful readers out there. It's especially for all my reviewers, who continue to shock, astonish, and touch me deeply. Thank you so much, everyone! Please, enjoy! And let me know what you all think of chapter twenty-three!
There are some things that you should never, ever say.
There are some things that should never, ever change.
But in this moment, standing on the edge of this cliff…
I want to jump… right into your arms.
This is the secret that fire cannot melt from me.
…
The sun had already risen, shining in the sky like glowing gold. It was a beautiful summer morning, the kind that could tug at a person's heartstrings and make him truly believe that everything was perfect. But for one person in Tokyo at least, the morning wasn't perfect at all. It should have been, but it wasn't. Despite the sun, despite the bright blue sky, despite the dreamlike night that had come before it, that morning couldn't be perfect for him.
No, for Fuji Shusuke, the world may as well have been covered with a cloud.
He had forgotten, of course. Every single time he found himself wrapped up in Tezuka's arms, he forgot. That was the real reason why he needed Tezuka. Tezuka helped him forget the things he couldn't bear to think about. And sure enough, last night, he had completely forgotten.
But Tezuka had already left to go find something for breakfast. And so now, alone in the hotel room, Fuji remembered.
Fuji remembered why he had wanted to die. Why he had nearly jumped. It was even worse now, the feeling that he wasn't brave enough to live, worse with the knowledge that Tezuka loved him. That reality only increased his guilt a hundred fold.
That was right. His guilt.
Fuji knew that he had trapped Tezuka into loving him. No matter what the former captain might say, their relationship was still… It was still so twisted. Fuji had forced Tezuka into following him to Europe, using every ounce of power that the man had unconsciously given him, even driving him to a botched suicide attempt. Tezuka would carry those scars for the rest of his life. And it was all because of Fuji.
It's obvious, why it came to this.
Fuji grimaced, painfully aware of what he had done.
A god can't really love a fallen angel, after all.
Sitting at the desk in the hotel room, Fuji buried his head in his hands, trying to ignore the malicious whispers that were lingering in his mind. He didn't want to hear those voices, not now. Whenever he listened to them, he always found himself regretting it. And yet… he couldn't stand it…
He couldn't stand the thought of what he had done. He had ruined Tezuka. Worse yet, he knew that Ryoma had not escaped unharmed, either… He couldn't have, not with that look Fuji had seen in those innocent golden eyes, whenever Ryoma looked at the former captain lately…
It was strange. Fuji hadn't regretted what he had done, until now. Up until the night before, he had always carried out his warped plan without a second thought, making every effort to insure that it would succeed. Now, though, now that he knew Tezuka was his for the taking, now that he was assured of his own power over the man who had held so much power over him…
… Now the tensai repented his unforgivable sin.
But it's too late for that. Why should I be forgiven? And they know, now. They know how black my soul is. I was too careless. I let my motives show, and they saw the truth…
… They saw the real me.
Fuji was too horrified to notice the hotel door open and shut behind him. His head was still buried in his hands, still hiding his face from view, and he didn't look up.
"Fuji-senpai."
Suddenly, Fuji's eyes widened, and his head shot up in disbelief. Sure enough, there was the teenage tennis star, standing right next to his chair, and looking…
Looking worried? Why would he…?
"What do you want?" Fuji whispered, unable to keep from sounding suspicious.
"I ran into Tezuka-buchou down in the lobby," Ryoma explained, very quietly. There was something in those eyes that made Fuji feel even worse. "I asked him if I could come see you, so he lent me his room key."
Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Fuji stood up and walked away. He abruptly stopped next to the window, with his back to the tennis star.
"You asked to come see me? I don't see why," the tensai said lightly, with a strange chuckle, as though something amused him.
Ryoma's eyes were fixed on Fuji's back, and if the tensai would have bothered to look, he would have noticed that the boy looked unusually tired.
"I just wanted to see if you were alright," Ryoma finally explained, still speaking very softly.
Fuji decidedly frowned at that response.
"Why wouldn't I be alright?" he demanded stubbornly. "Unless Tezuka told you something that he shouldn't have…"
"Buchou didn't say anything," Ryoma calmly interrupted. "But last night… Well, I was worried. About you, Fuji-senpai."
Again, Fuji laughed, almost bitterly this time.
"Worried about me?" he repeated, still not looking at Ryoma. "Why would you be worried about me?"
The tennis star didn't answer, much to Fuji's discomfort.
"You don't have any reason to be worried about me. I'm perfectly fine. Aren't you the victim, after all?" Fuji continued, without a hint of remorse.
Still, Ryoma said nothing, and Fuji could feel his frustration growing with every passing second. He whipped around suddenly, glaring right at Ryoma.
"Don't you get it, Echizen?" he demanded coldly, his eyes gleaming like ice. "I took your precious Tezuka-buchou from you. Aren't you angry? Don't you hate me? You should be furious at me, not worried for m---"
The tensai was stopped in mid-sentence by a firm SMACK! right across his face.
Fuji cringed in pain, staring up in shock at Ryoma, whose arm was still extended from the slapping motion. The boy stood completely still, but those golden eyes seemed to be trembling with some kind of repressed emotion.
There was nothing but silence for a moment, until Ryoma finally spoke.
"Stop it, Fuji-senpai," he said, voice shaking. "Just stop it."
The tensai was still completely frozen, from the surprise of being slapped by Ryoma, of all people. He couldn't find a single word to say in response. Ryoma, however, continued to speak, looking down at Fuji with an unreadable expression.
"I'm not angry, Fuji-senpai. I told Tezuka-buchou to go to you," he said, as firmly as he could.
Fuji's lower jaw dropped slightly in astonishment. For the first time, he could see it… In Ryoma's eyes, there was absolutely no bitterness toward him. None at all.
"Why?" he murmured, still taken aback.
"Because I could never hate you, Fuji-senpai." Ryoma was actually trembling now, Fuji noticed with remorse. "I want you to be happy. I want you and Buchou to be happy together. And so…"
Fuji felt his own heart speed up, at the emotion in those golden eyes.
"And so you had better make him happy, Fuji-senpai!" the boy cried, painfully. His hands were clenched at his side, shaking slightly with the tension.
"Echizen," Fuji whispered, but it was so soft that the tennis star didn't hear it.
"You had better make him happy, because if you don't, then… Then, I think I will hate you. He gave up everything for you, Fuji-senpai. He gave up his arm…" Ryoma's determined voice lowered nearly to a whisper.
"He chose you over tennis, Fuji-senpai," he said, barely audible now. "He… He chose you over me."
For nearly a minute, the two just stood there, staring painfully into each other's eyes. The repressed emotion was paralyzing.
"He chose you, so you better make him the happiest man in the world!" Ryoma finished, loudly this time. "Or I'll never forgive you!"
The room fell silent, and in that moment, the tensai felt something like relief, coupled with regret, as it flooded his whole being. He started to tremble himself, and he suddenly fell to his knees. Before he knew it, the tears were streaming down his face.
"You… you are too good to me, Echizen," he sputtered. "But you don't understand. I can't… I can't do what you're asking!"
Ryoma took a deep breath, trying to relax, trying to will the fire out of his eyes. And he kneeled, too, trying to look the tensai in the face.
"What are you saying, Fuji-senpai?" he asked, as gently as he could manage.
"I can't… Make him happy… I…" Fuji tried to gasp out his reply, through the tears. "I'm not good enough for him… He's… He's perfect… and I'm not…"
Ryoma frowned at that, and a spark ignited in those golden irises once more.
"Fuji-senpai… Listen to me."
He gently reached out and grasped the tensai's shoulder, causing Fuji to look up and meet the boy's gaze.
"Tezuka-buchou is not perfect. He's a man, and he has his flaws, just like anyone." Ryoma stopped speaking for a moment, as he looked very significantly at Fuji. "And right now, he's a man who cares for no one more than the angel he chose to keep by his side."
Fuji was very still, listening. But the sorrow didn't leave his eyes.
"Maybe so, but surely you understand… You thought he was perfect, too. Didn't you?" Fuji quickly wiped the tears away from his eyes, looking expectantly at Ryoma, waiting for a reply.
For a moment, Ryoma didn't answer. But then, he sighed.
"You're right… I did think so once," he admitted quietly. "That was my foolish mistake. But then I saw that even Tezuka-buchou had a fatal flaw."
Fuji met Ryoma's stare, with a puzzled expression.
"You're his flaw, Fuji-senpai. You're his weakness," explained Ryoma firmly, but gently. "You're everything to him now. You can break his heart, or make him the happiest man alive. So don't abuse that power anymore. That is my request of you, Fuji-senpai."
With that, Ryoma stood up again, holding out a hand to his former teammate. Hesitantly, the tensai took the boy's hand, letting the tennis star lift him back to his feet. And as he gazed into those golden eyes, he was once again filled with a pang of regret.
"Echizen, can you ever forgive me?" he murmured, so softly that Ryoma almost didn't hear him.
For a moment, Ryoma was quiet. And then he answered.
"There's nothing to forgive." He smiled slightly, but his own eyes grew remorseful. "The better question is whether you can forgive me, Fuji-senpai. Am I still a disappointment?"
…
"You're nothing but a disappointment."
…
A lump started to form in the tensai's throat, as he insistently shook his head. "No, Echizen… You are not a disappointment… you're…"
But Fuji couldn't finish his sentence. He was too overcome.
Just when he had been the most certain of his own fall, he found himself flying again… Flying with the strength of two pillars who loved him, loved him against reason…
He couldn't even begin to understand it.
"Then everything will be alright, Fuji-senpai. But I should return this to you."
Fuji was confused by Ryoma's reply, until the boy suddenly leaned forward and kissed him, lightly, on that place on his cheek, right next to the corner of his mouth.
Fuji's eyes were wide with disbelief.
Quietly, Ryoma turned around and began to walk toward the door. The tensai watched every step, and something stirred in his heart then. He remembered something that he had nearly forgotten.
"Echizen," he called out suddenly, causing the boy to stop in his tracks.
"Yes, Fuji-senpai?" Ryoma turned for a moment, looking back into the tensai's sky blue eyes.
"Echizen… that is…" Fuji found himself trailing off for a moment, unsure of what to say. But then he frowned slightly, as a resolved expression appeared on his face.
"Echizen, who is it that you love?"
Ryoma blinked, standing very still for a moment.
"Who do I love?" he repeated slowly. Fuji nodded.
Ryoma turned away from the tensai again, staring intently at the door in front of him. There was a slight frown on his lips, as his eyes grew thoughtful.
"I love all of you," he finally replied, taking the last few steps toward the door and turning the knob. "See you later, Fuji-senpai."
The tensai watched, as the tennis star walked out into the hall and closed the door gently behind him.
That's so like a pillar, Echizen. But you…
Do you have any idea who loves you more than anyone?
Fuji's sky blue eyes were fixed on the floor.
"He wants us all to be happy," Fuji whispered to himself. "But what about him? Who will make him happy?"
…
"Maybe they were just teaching us how to fly."
…
Fuji glanced toward the window, at the perfect sunshine that streamed through the glass. And for the first time in many years, he felt as though he wanted to hope again. He wanted to hope, for the sake of two people he knew very well, who had ultimately forsaken their own happiness in favor of their friends' needs.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Game, set, match! Won by Oishi-Kikumaru pair!"
Eiji jumped up and down from sheer excitement. No matter how many times he had heard those words before, he couldn't contain his elation at winning yet another tennis match. Especially his elation at winning another tennis match with his favorite partner, Oishi Shuichiroh, the other half of the Golden Pair.
He turned to face his best friend, who was smiling at him like always. Even though Oishi had a different way of showing it, Eiji could see that his partner was as excited as he was.
And for whatever reason, caught up in the moment, Eiji found himself bounding up to Oishi and throwing his arms around his partner, in an enthusiastic hug.
He thought nothing of it, of the pleasant feeling that came over him as he hugged his best friend in the whole world. To him, it just seemed natural… To love playing doubles with Oishi, who was his closest companion. To be excited when they, the Golden Pair, won yet another match against a worthy opponent. And to want to be close to him, to feel that closeness by wrapping his arms around his favorite doubles partner, in excitement at their win.
But as he released his friend from his impetuous embrace, he was suddenly aware that there was something not quite natural about what he had done.
He couldn't understand why, but there was a distinct blush on the taller boy's cheeks. A blush, coupled with a definite frown.
It was the first time that Eiji realized that he couldn't read the emotion in his partner's eyes.
He didn't know it then, but it was the first sign that their beloved Golden Pair had started to shatter.
…
Eiji was sitting at the kitchen table, staring blankly into space, listening as the seconds ticked by on the wall clock mounted somewhere above his head. He had been flipping through the newspaper, something he occasionally read as a method for relieving his own boredom, and sipping a glass of milk. He never had coffee for breakfast, even if that was considered a more mature beverage of choice in the mornings. Somehow, he had never liked the stuff, and he didn't feel particularly compelled to change his preference, either.
The glass of milk and the newspaper, however, had both been forgotten for quite some time, as the redhead rested his chin in both hands and stared thoughtfully into space.
Once again, he felt his mind wandering back to the previous night, continually replaying that scene in his mind…
…
"I love you."
…
Feeling his heart speed up once again at the mere recollection, he tried to shake himself out of his current train of thought. It didn't do any good to think about it, after all… Not when thinking about it only made his mind run in circles, racing through an endless string of incoherent emotions…
"Ugh," he muttered, rubbing his forehead in frustration. Why did the whole thing have to be so confusing? He had hardly slept the night before. It was just Oishi, after all… It was Oishi, and…
Well, that was the problem. It was Oishi.
No matter how Eiji looked at it, he couldn't stand the thought of hurting Oishi. He really cared about him; he knew that much. He had always relied on Oishi, as his dearest friend…Oishi meant a lot to him, and he didn't want to lose him again, not after all that had happened, but…
…
"Eiji-senpai, how do you feel about Oishi-senpai?"
…
"How do I feel?" Eiji murmured under his breath, frowning.
…
"I love you."
…
"I don't know how I feel!" he exclaimed in aggravation, laying his head down on the hard table with a slight thud. He sat there like that for a full minute, trying to will the frustration away, trying to ignore the jumble of emotions in his heart that refused to sort themselves out, no matter how hard he tried.
Much to his surprise, the silence was broken by a sudden "Meow!"
Eiji looked up, only to feel a tickle against his leg and find the familiar white kitten nuzzling against his ankle.
"Shuuko-chan?" he said, slightly confused. "What is it? You finished your breakfast?"
"Meow!" the tiny cat repeated, tugging slightly on Eiji's sock with its teeth.
Sighing, Eiji reluctantly got up from the table. "Don't tell me you want more. I think we're almost out of milk…"
But before he could even make a move for the refrigerator, the cat darted through the kitchen doorway. Eiji frowned, confused.
"Shuuko-chan? Where are you going?" He found himself following the kitten toward the side passageway. "You're acting so weird…"
He watched as the kitten slipped through the cracked bedroom door. Very quietly, the redhead pushed the door open, sneaking noiselessly inside like the cat before him.
"Shuuko-chan?" he whispered, trying to see where the kitten had gone.
Much to his confusion, there was Shuuko-chan, curled up comfortably on Eiji's bed. On Eiji's bed, which happened to be the one in which Oishi was currently sleeping.
With a slight blush creeping into his cheeks, Eiji took a few silent steps toward the bed, eyes fixed on Oishi's sleeping form. He had intended to try to remove the cat from the bed, in order to keep it from bothering his former partner, but he forgot all about that task as he came closer. Instead, he found himself staring at Oishi's face, at his calm, peaceful expression as he slept, at the way his chest moved slightly with each soft breath…
Eiji kneeled next to the bed, resting his elbows on the edge, as he watched his former partner sleep. And as he did so, that familiar voice echoed inside his head…
…
"I love you."
…
Suddenly, all the muddled thoughts vanished from Eiji's mind. Suddenly, his own feelings seemed so simple, so easy to understand…
Suddenly, he found himself leaning forward, and kissing his former partner, Oishi Shuichiroh, gently and lovingly on the lips.
Eiji had kissed plenty of girls before. He would even brag that he had quite a bit of experience, that all his girlfriends thought he was a good kisser. It was a gesture, though, that had become rather meaningless for him over the past two years. You could be the best kisser in the world, Eiji thought, and girls would still break up with you. Your lips over theirs wouldn't keep them from leaving you eventually, no matter how hard you tried. And so kissing didn't mean much to Eiji.
It didn't, and so he was shocked to discover how perfect this kiss felt.
He was shocked, but he finally understood…
…
"There's no one that's right for me."
…
That was a lie.
Eiji's lips fit perfectly over Oishi's mouth. It was as though his lips had been made for Oishi, just to kiss him, and him only. And Oishi's lips against Eiji's… Eiji couldn't help feeling like those had been made just for him to kiss, just for him alone.
Oishi was perfect for him. And he was perfect for Oishi.
… Why had he never realized it before?
As Eiji's thoughts started going a mile a minute, his former partner began stirring in his sleep. Suddenly, Eiji found himself staring right into Oishi's green eyes, and the feeling that came over him as he looked into those eyes took his breath away.
Was this how he would have felt, looking into those eyes, if he had known all along about the love in that man's gentle gaze? If distance hadn't come between them, if Oishi hadn't been silent… Would he have realized it sooner?
"Eiji?" Oishi murmured, looking almost confused. "What are you---?"
But Eiji just shook his head, as another blush swept over his cheeks.
"Oishi, I…" His voice was caught in his throat. Why was it so hard to say?
The former vice captain sat up in bed, still somewhat bewildered at the look in the redhead's face. What was Eiji trying to say?
For a split second, even in his embarrassment, Eiji managed to glance back at Oishi, and their eyes met. And then they both knew. At the exact same time, they knew without a doubt…
Everything would be alright now.
"I love you too, Oishi," Eiji whispered, eyes wide at his own confession.
For a moment, Oishi looked as though he hadn't heard it, or maybe as though he didn't believe it. But then he smiled, a genuine smile, full of relief and of ecstasy all at once…
Eiji absolutely melted into his partner's arms.
"I love you!" he cried passionately, a lump rising in his throat. "I was stupid, and I didn't know… I guess I just didn't see it, but… but all along, I…"
But Eiji couldn't continue. He was too overcome.
"Eiji," was all Oishi said in reply, with all the adoration in his heart, as he held the redhead tightly in his arms. And in his happiness, he forgot. He forgot to be surprised, at how perfectly Eiji fit into his arms, at how natural it felt to embrace him, despite the years that had passed, despite what had come between them…
It didn't matter, after all. They were the Golden Pair.
And now, they were perfect.
Together.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Echizen Ryoma should have known from the start that this was a very bad idea.
Bolting across a crowded street in the middle of a traffic jam, he weaved in and out of the cars, darting into a side alley and making his way toward the avenue on the other end. Without even thinking, he waved frantically at a taxi cab that had just pulled up to the curb. Faster than lightning, he yanked the door open and threw himself inside the car.
"Hey, mister, sorry, but I'm on break," the cab driver attempted to protest, until Ryoma interrupted him.
"I'll pay you 100,000 yen, if you step on it now." (1)
Without even so much as a nod, the driver hit the accelerator and veered back into the crowded street, earning several indignant honks from the neighboring cars. Showing an impressive skill for maneuvering, the driver began rapidly changing lanes to circumvent the traffic. Before Ryoma even remembered to breathe a sigh of relief, he found himself being interrogated by the cab driver.
"That was quite a crowd following you, mister. From the looks of all those cameras, you must be some hotshot celebrity, eh?" The man glanced back at Ryoma, with one of those friendly, crinkled faces that had a distinctly good-natured appearance.
"Something like that," Ryoma managed, still trying to catch his breath. He noticed the driver giving him a long look in the rearview mirror, those keen black eyes carefully examining his face.
"I think I've seen you before," the driver confessed after a moment. "But I can't quite place you…"
"Echizen Ryoma," the boy offered helpfully, gasping slightly.
"Ah, now I remember! You're that tennis star everyone keeps talking about. Well, well, this is unexpected. So where am I taking you, Echizen-san?" the older man asked, as casually as if he weren't weaving in and out of traffic on a crowded Tokyo street and causing subsequent havoc.
"Take me to Central, please… The apartment complex at number 904," Ryoma replied, as steadily as he could.
"Will do, sir."
Ryoma leaned back in the seat, glancing back only once, to see if he had finally eluded his pursuers. It seemed so, and he relaxed, as though the weight of an entire planet had been lifted off of his shoulders. He had been letting his guard down lately, but it had been the first time that week that he had been given cause to regret it.
Like a simpleton, he had gone out for a walk that morning, after confronting Fuji and returning the room key to Tezuka. Even worse, he hadn't thought to remove his trademark cap or wear anything less conspicuous, which he usually did when he went out in public. And so, as soon as he'd stepped outside of the hotel, he'd been absolutely flooded with reporters. And while he was mentally beating himself up for his own blunders, he couldn't help realizing that those mistakes weren't the only thing to blame.
No, he'd clearly been outed. Someone had figured out that Echizen Ryoma was in Japan. And now all the reporters were searching for him.
Just great. That's exactly what I need right now…
Ryoma frowned, crossing his arms and staring into space.
I hope they haven't been following me these past few days…
The last thing I want is for them to be dragged into this.
Ryoma frowned, as the world flew by outside the car windows. It hadn't really been difficult to elude the dozen or so reporters that had chased after him. But now that they'd actually seen him at the hotel, there would be more by the time he got back. And then there would be endless questions and photographs, and with every piece of incriminating evidence that Echizen Ryoma really was in Japan, the number of pursuers would grow until the deluge of interview requests became absolutely unbearable…
To Ryoma's surprise, the taxi cab lurched to a firm stop, much sooner than he would have dreamed possible.
"We're here, sir," the cab driver said amiably.
"Thank you," Ryoma answered, reaching into his pocket and thumbing through his wallet for a moment. "Here you go."
After handing the man a few bills of paper money, he climbed out of the car and shut the door firmly behind him.
The man watched him leave for a split second, and then looked down at the bills in his hands. His eyes grew wide with surprise.
"How much money does that kid keep on him?" he muttered in disbelief. "Good grief."
- - - - - - - - - -
It really was a beautiful day outside. It was the kind of day that made a person want to lie in the sunshine and stare up at the clouds. At the moment, however, three young men were comfortably situated inside a diner, observing the pleasant weather through a barrier of a glass.
"I wonder where Ryoma-kun went?" Kachiro asked suddenly, gazing thoughtfully at the busy street outside.
Katsuo glanced up from his menu long enough to ask, "You mean last night?"
Kachiro nodded in reply, causing Horio to frown, as if in preparation for deep contemplation.
"Well, if it's Echizen…" The teenager trailed off for a moment and then sighed. "Impossible to tell."
Katsuo just sighed. "You're a real help as always, Horio-kun."
Kachiro stared through the window for a moment longer, watching the way the pedestrians ambled along on the sidewalk.
"I wonder if Ryoma-kun understood what we were trying to tell him?" he wondered aloud after a moment.
At that, both Katsuo and Horio grew quiet, as if remembering the conversation that had occurred the previous night.
…
"That frown of his was unbreakable… But I think that a person with an unbreakable smile must be even stronger."
…
Kachiro smiled slightly, but there was a hint of remorse in it.
"You know, I hoped Ryoma-kun would realize, even though we didn't mention it…" Kachiro glanced back at his companions for a moment, as he left the sentence unfinished.
"That he was the only one who could break the unbreakable?" Katsuo finished helpfully, looking very seriously at his friend.
"Exactly," Kachiro agreed quietly, remembering a time when a young tennis prodigy had left Japan to enter the U.S. Open and shock the world with his talent.
He couldn't help remembering…
Tezuka, the stoic captain of Seigaku, had sent him off with a bittersweet smile.
Momo, everyone's favorite happy-go-lucky powerhouse, had cried. (2)
"Somehow, I couldn't quite say it, but that's what I wish Ryoma-kun understood," Kachiro finished softly. "The senpais really care about him."
"You're right about that," Horio agreed decidedly. "Even Echizen has to figure it out eventually."
"I think he will," Katsuo added, with a slight nod of his head. "And if it's Ryoma-kun, after all…"
"Well, it will be alright, won't it?"
At that, the three friends smiled, thinking of days gone by, when a dark-haired boy in a white cap had consistently defied the odds and carried their favorite tennis team to victory.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Ryoma had to admit it. He was just a little bit confused.
This wasn't to say that he was unhappy with the situation. He was glad that he had been welcomed into Eiji's apartment with an unusual amount of hospitality. And even though he had no idea why they were there, he didn't mind that Kaidoh and Inui had suddenly appeared for a visit, despite the fact that the apartment's three current residents made the place feel crowded enough. And of course he was glad to find that the old rift between Eiji and Oishi seemed to have healed completely, if the loving glances the two kept giving each other were any indication.
No, he was happy… But he got the distinct feeling that he had missed something.
Of course, he knew there was a high likelihood that Oishi had confessed his feelings for Eiji the previous night. But he hadn't expected their relationship to move along so quickly. Even outside of the Golden Pair's sudden change in behavior, however, Ryoma was instinctively conscious of something new in the air, something between them all that remained unspoken. Something that was different now. … But what could that be?
In an unconscious effort to make up for this gap in his knowledge, Ryoma found himself observing his former teammates more closely than usual that afternoon. Still, despite his watchfulness, he couldn't detect anything that he hadn't noticed before. At least, not until Eiji started preparing to make dinner, by which point the sun was already setting.
"So, who's going to help me?" Eiji asked cheerfully, making his way toward the kitchen.
"I'll help you, Eiji," Oishi offered, almost pleading for consent with his eyes. He had been feeling particularly restless ever since that morning, but Eiji had insisted that he stay on the couch for most of the day.
Eiji looked at him intently for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright, you can help, but you better not push yourself."
At that, Oishi began walking toward the kitchen as well, only to be followed by a grinning Inui.
"I can help with the beverages, Kikumaru."
"You can help, but NOT with the drinks!" came Eiji's decided answer as he disappeared from view. Inui sighed at that, but he followed Oishi into the kitchen anyway.
Ryoma suddenly found himself alone in the living room, with only Momo and Kaidoh there with him. Both of his former teammates were strangely silent, Ryoma noted. But before he could take a good look at either of them, Momo stood up and stretched a little.
"I'll be right back," he said, almost offhandedly, as he vanished into the side hallway.
Ryoma frowned for a split second. When it came to Momo in particular lately, Ryoma had a distinct feeling that he was missing something. He was acting strange… almost distant, now that Ryoma thought about it… But why would that be?
He would have considered the thought longer, but a stray glance at Kaidoh changed the course of his thoughts completely.
Instead of looking at the television, or inside the room, or maybe at the side passageway… Kaidoh was staring toward the kitchen.
It would have completely escaped Ryoma's notice, except that the look on his former teammate's face distinctly reminded him of something.
Another look… a look that he had seen before…
… What was it?
"Kaidoh-senpai," Ryoma said suddenly, startling the snakelike teenager out of his trance.
"What is it, Echizen?" came the gruff reply.
"It's…" Ryoma faltered, realizing that he didn't know exactly what he wanted to say. "Um… it's nothing. Except… I never did thank you, you know."
"Thank me?" Kaidoh repeated, looking distinctly confused.
"For the other day," Ryoma explained simply, gazing intently at his senpai. "When you carried me back here."
There was a pause, as Kaidoh averted his eyes. "Oh, that. Don't mention it."
Ryoma smiled. Somehow, he couldn't help thinking that Kaidoh hadn't changed at all. He was still the same… Rock hard on the outside, but a warm person underneath, if you knew where to look.
"So, you and Inui-senpai live together in Kyushu, right?" Ryoma noted offhandedly. He suddenly realized that he'd hardly talked to this particular senpai, that he really had no idea what he had been doing for the past five years…
"Yes," was Kaidoh's monosyllabic answer. That blunt reply was to be expected from the snakelike teenager, of course.
What Ryoma hadn't expected was that slight flush that came into Kaidoh's cheeks.
Suddenly, he remembered where he had seen that look before.
"Kaidoh-senpai, are you…?"
But Ryoma couldn't finish.
Of course. Why hadn't he noticed before? Why had the thought never even occurred to him? When his former classmates had told him that Inui and Kaidoh were rooming together, he had been comforted by that fact. After all, to him, it sounded like something they both would do. But the more that Ryoma thought about it, the more he realized…
He had missed something. There was something else there. There was more to it than that.
Kaidoh looked quizzically at Ryoma, who hadn't said a thing since he'd stopped in the middle of his sentence.
"What is it, Echizen?"
Ryoma looked his senpai in the eyes, just for a second longer, and then he threw caution to the wind.
"Kaidoh-senpai, are you and Inui-senpai in love?" he asked.
…
"Say, Kaidoh, I have an offer to make you. How about coming to room with me during college?"
…
Kaidoh's eyes opened wide, as he fully comprehended Ryoma's question. For the second time in the last twenty-four hours, he almost couldn't believe what he'd heard. And yet, there was their former prodigy, looking at Kaidoh with an understanding expression in his eyes.
Kaidoh had no idea how Ryoma had guessed so close to the truth. But he had. And now… What should he say, to this boy who had identified his secret so quickly?
"You're mistaken, Echizen," he managed at last, somewhat huskily. "It's not like that."
Ryoma sat there in silence for a moment, thinking about this.
"Then what's it like?" he asked, looking back at his senpai.
Kaidoh was taken aback. He had never said anything like this aloud… In fact, he had sworn to never let this truth leave his own lips. But with those golden eyes looking at him like that, he felt as though he had to say it. He had to explain, even if it was something he had vowed to never confess…
"You… you're half-right, Echizen," Kaidoh managed at last, hissing in discomfort. "I feel that way about him. But Inui-senpai… I don't think Inui-senpai feels the same way."
"Why do you say that?" Ryoma couldn't help asking. It seemed strange to him, that Kaidoh and Inui were so close, and yet their current relationship involved unrequited love on at least one side. If that was the case, then why had they lived together for so long?
"Because it has to be true," Kaidoh muttered, his voice growing lower with each passing second. "He's never said anything about it… Even though he must know how I feel by now."
There was another pause, as Ryoma considered this.
"It would be strange, for Inui-senpai to notice and not say anything," admitted Ryoma after a split second. "But are you sure that he noticed? Maybe you need to tell him."
"That's ridiculous!" Kaidoh sputtered suddenly, blushing from embarrassment. "You know Inui-senpai. He takes data on everything, and…"
For a moment, Kaidoh bit his lip in frustration. Then, taking a deep breath, he continued.
"Inui-senpai knows practically everything about other people. If he doesn't know about this, then he doesn't want to know. And if he does… If he does know, then he hasn't said anything," Kaidoh finished, glaring at the floor in front of his feet.
The silence that followed hung in the air for a moment. Ryoma let himself drift, letting the quiet focus his thoughts. And then suddenly, he stood up, standing right in front of Kaidoh and looking into the snakelike player's eyes.
"Kaidoh-senpai, you should still tell him," he said firmly. "It's a risk, but Inui-senpai wouldn't hurt you. And even though what you said is true…"
Ryoma let his words trail off for a moment, making sure that he had Kaidoh's full attention.
"What you said is true. Inui-senpai knows a lot about other people. But I think you're forgetting something, Kaidoh-senpai."
Kaidoh frowned, still staring intently into Ryoma's eyes.
"You forgot that even Inui-senpai has things he can't see. He may be near-sighted in real life, Kaidoh-senpai, but I'm sure that Inui-senpai is far-sighted when it comes to reading people's hearts…"
Ryoma leaned down to put a hand on Kaidoh's shoulder, coupled with a slight smile.
"He probably can't see the feelings of the person the closest to him. Because data can't predict the heart. Right?"
The tennis star looked into his former teammate's eyes for a moment longer, and then he stood up straight again. His hand fell back to his side, but the smile didn't leave his mouth.
"I know you'll be alright, Kaidoh-senpai," he concluded calmly.
Kaidoh wanted to respond, but at that exact moment, Ryoma's back pocket started to ring.
"Ah…! Um, excuse me, senpai," Ryoma apologized, slipping his cell phone out of his pocket. He glanced offhandedly at the caller ID as he walked over to the porch door. Quickly, he slid it open and headed outside, presumably to answer the incoming call.
Kaidoh watched him leave without a word, and then he hissed. "Fsssshhhhh…"
"He's right, you know."
The snakelike teenager's heart stood still, as he whirled around to see who had been listening. Sure enough, there was his rival, leaning against a doorpost and smirking at him.
"So are you going to take his advice?" Momo prodded, meeting Kaidoh's unamused glare with a slight chuckle.
"Maybe," came the gruff answer. "What's it to you, idiot?"
Momo just shrugged at that, still leaning against the wall. But Kaidoh noticed that those dark eyes had grown thoughtful, as they glanced toward the porch door.
"What about you?" Kaidoh asked suddenly, refocusing the attention of his rival back to him.
"What about me?" the power player asked, frowning slightly.
"Are you going to take Echizen's advice?" Kaidoh stared intently at his former teammate, watching the way those purple eyes widened slightly for a moment.
"That's none of your business, Viper," came the flippant response, as Momo shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "Anyway, I'm going to go see who called him."
Kaidoh's eyes followed his rival's every step, as the power player walked across the living room and slipped open the glass sliding door. And as the panel shut behind him, Kaidoh let the tiniest, most invisible hint of a smile appear in one corner of his mouth.
"Good luck, you idiot."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I can't believe you're asking this of me," Ryoma said in disbelief, holding the phone firmly against his ear. His eyes stared straight ahead, but he barely comprehended the beautiful cityscape spread before him.
He listened in resignation for a moment, but the frown on his face declared his disgust.
"I don't care, Mr. Davis. I don't want to do this," he responded after a moment, sounding frustrated.
There was another pause as the voice on the other end spoke, and then Ryoma sighed.
"It's not like I have a choice, do I?" was his bitterly resigned reply. "Right. Of course not. Fine, I'll be there."
With an aggravated gesture, Ryoma jabbed the 'end call' button on the phone and clapped the receiver shut. Taking a deep breath, he slipped the phone back into his pocket and rested his elbows on the porch railing.
A stray glance up at the sky made him do a double take. He hadn't realized that it was twilight already. The first signs of night were appearing just above his head, as a light dusting of stars glittered dimly in the dark immensity of space.
As he gazed up at the stars, he felt his mind wander. He couldn't help thinking about everything that had happened since he'd returned to Japan. It hadn't been what he'd expected… In fact, it had been one surprise after another…
But he didn't regret it. Despite the pain that had come with facing some of the truths of the past, he didn't regret it for a second.
And so Ryoma couldn't help wondering why he suddenly felt so empty.
As he stared up at those stars, those lone silvery soldiers, as they embraced the darkness of the falling night…
Why did he feel so alone?
…
"Echizen, who is it that you love?"
…
Ryoma leaned his head against his hand, almost pensively.
…
"I love all of you."
…
His eyes wandered away from the sky, returning to the shimmering cityscape in front of him. He could see the distant lights from downtown Tokyo, lights that were so bright that they cast a faint glow on the sky above them. The wind was picking up, he noticed, as it ruffled his hair and blew warmly across his bare arms.
Suddenly, a slight noise sounded behind him. He turned to see Momoshiro, who was closing the sliding door.
"Oh, Momo-senpai, it's you," Ryoma observed casually, trying to shake himself out of his uncharacteristic reverie.
"Yeah, it's me," Momo cheerfully replied, in his usual way. "Who was that on the phone, Echizen?"
"On the phone?" Ryoma repeated, blinking. For a moment, he had actually forgotten about the phone call. "Oh, right. That was…"
All at once, those shining golden eyes dimmed.
"It was nobody, Momo-senpai," came the quiet response, as the tennis star turned back toward the railing.
"Ah, I see." Momo didn't even attempt to inquire further, taking a few steps nearer the railing himself. "What were you looking at?"
"Looking…?" Ryoma trailed off for a moment, and then he glanced up at the sky again. "Oh, I was just looking at the stars."
"Mm," was the power player's rather inarticulate response, as he looked up for himself. It had grown darker, but it wasn't quite night yet, and the shade of the sky was almost purple.
"They are beautiful, aren't they?" observed Momo, after nearly a minute had gone by.
Ryoma nodded slowly, still transfixed.
Momo lowered his gaze again to the teenager standing in front of him. And since Ryoma's back was to his former teammate, the boy completely missed the emotion hidden in those dark eyes. If Ryoma had looked, though, he might have realized it for himself…
Momoshiro's eyes were like that night sky.
…
"Echizen is perfect."
…
"The stars are beautiful," Momo repeated softly. "But if you watch them too long, it can get pretty lonely."
Ryoma thought about this for a moment. Something about that reply surprised him. It was as though his friend was saying one thing, when he actually meant something completely different…
But what else could he mean?
He was about to ask, when his voice caught in his throat.
As quietly as a whisper, two strong arms had wrapped around him from behind, locking Ryoma in the power player's warm embrace.
"I didn't know that you noticed things like the stars, Echizen," came that deep voice, somewhere above Ryoma's head.
For a moment, the tennis star was completely frozen. He couldn't move, or even say a single word. What was Momo doing?
He finally managed a reply. "I guess I don't… Most of the time…"
In the silence that followed, Ryoma found himself feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Something about the way Momo's arms were wrapped around him, there in the dark, with nothing between them…
Something about it was making his knees go weak.
And Echizen Ryoma wasn't weak.
He was willing his heartbeat to slow down to a more normal rate, trying to collect his thoughts, trying to calm down. After all, whatever Momo was doing, he probably didn't mean anything by it… Momo had always been like this, grabbing him without a moment's notice, doing strange things that caught Ryoma off guard…
… Hadn't he?
"Do you notice things like the stars, Momo-senpai?" he finally asked, determined to sound perfectly normal. He attempted to refocus his attention back on the stars above his head, trying not to think about the way the back of his head was pressed against his former teammate's chest.
"I guess I do," Momo replied, in an almost subdued tone. "Maybe because they remind me of someone."
The night stood still, holding its breath.
"Who?" whispered Ryoma, barely audible.
At first, he thought that Momo hadn't heard him, so long was the pause that followed. But then his former teammate began to speak, and Ryoma could only listen, stunned.
"A certain boy I knew. He was a very talented tennis player… No matter who his opponent was, he always won. And I watched him go on to conquer the world."
"Momo-senpai," Ryoma breathed, still in shock.
Why had his heart stopped beating…?
…
"When I first began to admire Momochan-buchou… You know what he kept saying? He kept saying 'I can't let him down. No, I can't let him down…'"
…
"He never looked back, you know," Momo continued, his arms tightening around Ryoma for a split second. "But I didn't blame him for that. He deserved the chance to prove that he was the best. Even so, I made him promise me something…"
…
"Promise me, Echizen. Promise me that you'll come back. … Promise me!"
…
"He didn't do it right away, of course," Momo added softly. "But I never stopped believing that he would. I waited for five years for him to come back to Japan. And then, a funny thing happened…"
Ryoma's eyes were wide with anticipation.
Why… Why did he know what his friend was going to say…?
"I realized that I loved him."
For a moment, Ryoma was convinced that the sky had broken.
"I thought about telling him…" Suddenly, Ryoma noticed the way his senpai's voice was shaking, ever so slightly.
"I thought about telling him, but then I realized it would be like trying to catch a star."
Just before those strong arms released him, the voice concluded, "I could never reach high enough for that."
Ryoma felt as though time had stopped completely. Momo's voice, on the other hand, instantly changed, as though nothing had happened at all.
"You should come inside, Echizen," he said amiably, louder than he had been just a moment ago. "Dinner's probably ready."
Ryoma couldn't move, not even to watch as Momo slid the glass door open and shut it again behind him. And almost before his friend had disappeared inside the apartment, he felt his legs give way.
Echizen Ryoma fell to his knees.
He was too stunned to move. He just knelt there, feeling as though he was frozen for eternity, as though reality had vanished altogether and left him floating in space, with nothing left before his eyes except a vast, unknown stretch of darkness.
Above his head, the stars glittered, wrapped in the embrace of the deep purple sky.
- end of chapter twenty-three -
Useless Footnotes: (1) This is something like a thousand dollars. (2) The reference for these two statements is the last season of Prince of Tennis, episodes 178 and 171, respectively. Both actually happened, believe it or not. Lol. In the second case, however, I am implying that Kachiro saw something that he shouldn't have. Haha…
A/N: Well, at least I finally finished it. O.O This chapter took me FOREVER to write. It's an extra long one, for starters, and several of the scenes in it gave me some trouble at first. Anyway, I'm glad I finally got to post it, even if I'm now behind on about a million things, including keeping on top of my e-mail account and my homework. Lol… Oh well. It was so worth it. XD
Ryoma: … What's worth it?
FallingSilver: Um… writing sappy romance scenes with cute guys?
Ryoma: Mada mada dane.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it! I did my best, so hopefully it was worth the wait. Once again, I really have to thank my reviewers… It was your encouraging comments that gave me the strength to write this chapter. (It certainly was a long one, wasn't it? O.O Do you all remember what happened? Lol, I only ask because I definitely forgot by the time I finished! Hahaha…)
By the way, as for the next two chapters (the final two chapters! XD), they should both be posted sometime around this coming weekend. Yep, that's right! This story is almost over. (Is that a good thing or a bad thing? -laughs- Even I'm not sure.) Sorry to make you wait for the conclusion, but you will all be able to read the ending very soon. I hope it's just as enjoyable as the rest. I'll certainly be trying my hardest!
In the meantime, thanks so much for reading, and please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-three!
Coming Up Next: The Regulars discover that something has happened to Ryoma, something that they all dreaded. Meanwhile, Fuji pays Taka a visit, and Kaidoh has something to say to Inui…